Former Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson and city politician Derek Hatton have been charged with bribery and misconduct relating to council contracts, along with 10 others, police have said.

The charges come after a Merseyside Police probe, Operation Aloft, focused on a number of property developers.

Mr Anderson and Mr Hatton were first arrested in 2020 as part of an investigation into the awarding of building contracts.

Posting on X, the former mayor urged people against “falling into the trap of saying no smoke without fire”.

He added: “I am innocent of charges and will fight to clear my name. Thank you for all the messages of support and best wishes.”

Father-of-four Mr Anderson was elected in 2012, having been a Labour councillor since 1998.

Merseyside Police said 12 individuals had been charged following an investigation connected to the awarding of commercial and business contracts from Liverpool City Council between 2010 and 2020.

Liverpool City Council said it had supported the police investigation and would continue to cooperate as required.

A spokesperson added: “It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”

Those charged are:

• Former Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson, 67, of Knotty Ash, charged with with one count of bribery, one count of misconduct in a public office and one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public offic
• Former Labour councillor Derek Hatton, 77, of Aigburth, charged with one count of bribery and one count of counsel or procure misconduct in a public office
• Former Liverpool City Council director Nicholas Kavanagh, 56, of Mossley Hill, charged with two counts of bribery
• Former Assistant Director at Liverpool City Council, Andrew Barr, 51, of Ainsdale, charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office and one count of bribery
• David Anderson, 37, of Wavertree, charged with one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office
• Phillipa Cook, 49, of Mossley Hill, charged with two counts of bribery
• Alex Croft, 29, of Aughton, Lancashire, charged with one count of bribery
• Julian Flanagan, 53, of Crosby charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery
• Paul Flanagan, 61, of Knowsley Village, charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery
• Sonjia Hatton, 49, of Aigburth, charged with one count of misconduct in a public office
• Adam McLean, 54, of Woolton, charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery
• James Shalliker, 38, of Downholland, Lancashire, charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery

They will all appear at Preston Magistrates’ Court on 28 March.

Robin Weyell, deputy chief crown prosecutor said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has reviewed a full file of evidence from Merseyside Police and has authorised the investigation team to charge 12 people with 12 offences related to bribery and misconduct in public office.”

He said criminal proceedings were now active and it was “extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings”.